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FORM  NO.  609;   7.3I.3«:  EOOH. 


LIGHT:    FINE  ART  THE  SIXTH 

See  Trans.  III.  Eng.  Sec,  Vol.  XIII,  No.  7,  Oct.  10,  191 S 


A  RUNNING  NOMENCLATURE  TO  UNDERLY  THE  USE 
OF  LIGHT  AS  A  FINE  ART 


MfiifJ^  i%^' 


By  MARY  HALLOCK-GREENEWALT 

U2A  MASTER  STREET 

PHILADELPHIA.  PA. 


*  Address  delivered  bsfore  the   Illuminating  Engineers'  Society  April  19 
1918,  at  the  Ensiheers'  Club,',  Philadelphia,  Pa, 


^ 


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HISTORY 


ORK  begun  "circa"  the  year  1906. 


First   public   rehearsal,  Egyptian  Hall, 
Philadelphia,  April  15,  1911. 

First  public  concert,  Perkiomen  Seminary, 
Pennsburg,  Pa.,  February,   1912. 

Second  public  concert,  Dayton,  Ohio,  March 
26,  1914. 

Presentation  before  the  Tenth  Annual  Con- 
vention of  the  Illuminating  Engineers'  Society, 
September    18,  1916 

Address  delivered  before  Illuminating  Engi- 
neers' Society,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April  19,  1918. 

Underlying  patents  applied  for  1918 


LIGHT:  FINE  ART  THE  SIXTH 
By  Mary  Hallock-Greenewalt 

Copyrighted,  1918.  by  Mast  HAiUXX-GRJiENEWAtT 

It  is  humbly  I  stand  before  you  and  in  this  building.  You 
do  the  work;  we  artists  come  along  and  reap  the  fun.  Fun,  did 
I  say?  And  yet  you,  more  than  others,  I  think,  would  grieve  at 
the  blind  groping  and  wasted  labor,  the  flapping  around  after 
wrong  trails,  that  has  been  gone  through  these  dozen  years  of 
really  hard  thought  and  really  hard  work  on  just  a  pretty  idea; 
labor  which  any  one  of  you  could  have  saved  me,  and  all  because 
in  nearly  all  this  time  I  was  not  even  conscious  there  was  in  exis- 
tence such  a  thing  as  an  illuminating  engineer,  and  my  finding 
him  finally  was  purely  accidental. 

My  introduction  to  your  vocation  came  as  a  result  to  the 
following  "spark":  How  utterly  enchanting  to  present  these 
phrases  of  music,  clothed  with  that  colored  lighting  atmosphere 
best  suited  to  them!  How  utterly  enchanting  to  present  these  phrases 
of  music  clothed  in  that  colored  lighting  atmosphere  best  suited  to 
them! 

Atmosphere,  in  the  general  use  of  the  word,  so  conditions,  so 
binds  down  the  artist.  If  in  a  small  gathering  of  a  dozen  people 
or  more,  one  unsympathetic  auditor  can  destroy  his  capacity  to 
deliver,'  how  much  is  he  capable  of  being  attracted  by  so  subtle 
and  supporting  a  surrounding  medium  within  which  to  launch  his 
interpretations.  Corot  was  ofty-three  years  old  when  he  suddenly 
realized  the  atmosphere  was  to  paint,  and  then  his  fame  came. 
Other  people  had  painted  atmosphere;  he  staged  it. 

Sunlight  makes  the  world  sing,  why  shouldn't  light  help  the 
song  sing. 

The  whim  came  at  a  given  moment;  the  vision  was  of  a  cer- 
tain instant,  a  juxtaposition  of  mental  ceils  heretofore  foreign  to 
each  other  in  my  mind,  and  still  foreign  to  each  other,  except  I 
deliberately  exercise  choice  regarding  their  befng  linked.  Psycho- 
logically, this  is  an  important  point  to  the  question.     Immediate 


action  followed  the  notion  once  gotten.  There  were  mercantile 
reasons  surrounding  "piano  performance"  which  made  it  seem 
possibly  an  assisting  move  to  do  this;  besides,  there  was  no  idea 
of  the  unending  difficulty  of  the  task. 

There  was  light,  to  be  sure, — I  required  light.  Grasped  from 
the  side  of  the  aesthetic  need,  that  seemed  all  that  was  necessary. 
It  was  forgotten  that  difficult,  huge,  immense  as  the  aesthetic  is, 
in  its  utter  impalpableness  it  still  must  stand  on  a  concrete  base. 
It  cannot  do  without  the  engineer. 

On  the  other  hand,  to  take  that  material  called  light  away, — 
away  from  the  useful, — and  make  it  a  sentient  thing:  use  it  as 
poetry  makes  use  of  words,  or  architecture  makes  use  of  stone;  to 
turn  it  into  an  art  that  can  play  at  will  on  the  spinal  marrow  of 
the  human  being,  remind  him  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  utter 
sheerness  of  beauty,  that  is  a  labor  which  can  be  done  only  by  the 
artist. 

To  make  light  mobile  to  music,  to  put  it  in  sympathetic  union 
with  any  other  art,  static  or  of  succession,  to  give  it  speech  of 
itself,  is  as  difficult  to  do  for  one  whose  lifelong  training  has  not 
been  that  of  artist  as  it  would  be  for  a  musician  to  alter  the  com- 
position of  a  light,  or  for  an  illuminating  engineer  to  play  a  piano 
concerto  with  orchestra. 

I  have  devoted  a  lifelong  labor  to  music,  and  there  is  nothing 
of  importance  I  have  ever  done,  outside  of  being  a  mother  and 
taking  a  charitable  interest  in  the  status  of  womankind  as  a  whole, 
that  has  not  been  connected,  intimately  connected  with  this  art. 
And  it  is  on  this  standpoint:  on  the  footing  of  that  which  only  a 
musician,  only  an  artist  could  have  arrived  at,  that  I  feel  justified 
in  having  encroached,  if  only  with  envious  eyes,  on  a  field  belong- 
ing, by  every  right,  only  to  you. 

Atmosphere — light,  pure  and  simple — was  always  a  part  of 
the  idea;  never  the  flat,  never  the  two  dimensional.  It  must  be  so. 
The  flat  carries  with  it  form,  no  matter  how  vague  and  transitory 
the  succession,  and  that  is  the  picture.  The  province  of  light  is 
that  of  an  all -enveloping  medium  which  does  not  interfere  with 
forms  or  interject  shapes  not  already  in  existence.  In  what  way 
does  it  obtrude  itself  on  our  attention  then?     Through  its  intensities. 

I  do  not  want  to  minimize,  for  a  single  instant,  the  glory  which 
I  felt  in  the  beginning,  and  do  now  feel,  would  come  to  the  human 

2 


being  on  being  able  to  view  at  the  same  time  the  wonders  of  tone 
and  the  marvels  of  color,  brought  on  wings  of  light  and  mobile  to 
the  unfolding  tone.  But  it  was  through  the  empirical, — through 
experience,  experiment,  practice, — that  was  brought  out  the  amaz- 
ing value  which  varying  intensities  of  light  have  as  a  means  of 
lending  added  significance  to  short-lived  emotions,  such  as  those 
embodied  in  music.  That  varying  intensities  of  light  are  the 
important  factor  in  enhancing  the  emotional  expression,  this  is  the 
firm  centre  which  conning  the  subject  over  for  the  last  twelve 
years  or  so  has  brought  forth.  If  it  were  a  question  of  one  or  the 
other  only:  a  mechanism  controlling  color,  or  one  controlling  inten- 
sities, the  palm  must  surely  be  given  to  the  latter  as  the  indispen- 
sable factor.  As  mankind  embraces  womankind,  however,  so  is 
tint  inseparable  from  light.  Let  us  not  seem  to  be  ignoring  the 
one  in  speaking  of  the  other. 

Mercifully  the  world  intervenes  countless  prisms  to  keep  us 
from  forgetting  the  color  while  looking  at  the  light.  The  atmos- 
phere, the  moisture  in  the  air,  the  dewdrop,  the  sheet  of  water, 
the  pane  of  glass,  the  crystal,  the  precious  stone,  the  things  manu- 
factured by  man,  turn  the  facet  first  on  the  violet  and  then  on  the 
rose.  The  painter's  eye  loses  not  a  glint.  And  so  the  selfsame 
thing,  according  to  the  prismatic  medium  in  which  at  the  moment 
it  happens  to  be  located,  can  be  fashioned  first  in  one  color,  then 
in  another,  no  one  color  carrying  any  one  emotional  attribute  all 
to  itself.  It  speaks  according  to  the  relationship  in  which  it  is 
found.*     To  the  aesthetic  question  this  is  all  important. 

The  attributes  which  make  up  any  art  are  never  few.  Poetry 
is  such  things  as  music  is  made  of:  accent,  rhythm,  tone  color, 
intensity,  pitch.  Painting  is  form,  color,  perspective,  composi- 
tion,— just  to  denote.  But  in  every  art;  one  attribute  is,  if  any- 
thing, more  indispensable  than  another.  The  shiftings  of  time  are, 
for  example,  the  life  and  breath  of  music;  they  give  it  its  expres- 
sion— they  are  its  vertebra — intensity,  the  loud,  the  soft,  being  an 
added  asset. 

Let  us  give  the  Captain  of  Industry,  for  once,  his  full  due. 
It  was  Mr.  Pierre  du  Pont  who,  though  placed  at  the  forceful 
centre  of  the  world's  affairs,  still  found  time  to  note  that  the  inten- 


*  Dr.  S.  L.  Pressey:  "The  Influence  of  Color  upon  Mental  and  Motor  Effi- 
ciency."    Harvard. 

3 


sity  lever  of  his  pianola  alone  did  not  make  expression,  whereas 
the  tempo  lever  alone  did.  But,  then,  the  dynamic  would  not  be 
so  novel  to  Mr.  du  Pont;  the  temporal,  all  must  admit,  keeps  one 
stepping. 

In  an  art  created  by  light  alone,  the  intensities,  the  dark,  the 
light,  their  manner  of  success'^on,  the  fineness  with  which  their 
dynamic  shadings  are  used,  would  be  the  all-important  factor,  the 
indispensable;  the  breaking  up  of  the  light  into  its  component 
rays,  an  added,  though  very  great,  added  element  of  beauty. 

Physiological  reasons  are  back  of  both  facts.*  It  is  the  influx 
of  new  blood  delivered  against  the  brain  through  the  basilar  artery 
every  so  often  a  minute,  that  has  gaited  man's  rhythmic  art  to  a 
certain  range  of  portent  speed.  That  range  of  time  variation  covers 
all  the  conditions  of  exhilaration,  sadness,  quiet,  repose  which  can 
affect  the  human  pulse,  and  is  natureJly  passed  on  analogically  to 
similar  expressions  used  by  him  in  the  arts  of  succession.  It  has 
been  the  nearest  beat  to  us  since  we  achieved  being,  and  we  natu- 
rally imitate  it  in  all  the  linked  meanings  it  has  subconsciously 
taken  on. 

It  takes  no  psychological  laboratory  to  tell  us  that  the  changes 
of  light — the  dark  of  the  night,  the  bright  of  the  day — have  become 
similarly  inextricably  woven  into  the  experiences  of  man  from  the 
time  that  he  was  only  a  bit  of  living  protoplasm  till  now.  Surely, 
fear,  gloom,  foreboding,  depression,  mystery  are  connected  with 
the  blackness  of  night,  whereas  hopefulness,  joyousness,  happiness, 
stimulation  are  part  of  the  brightness  of  midday. 

But  in  spite  of  the  commonplace  of  the  theorem,  let  us  quote 
the  Journal  of  Psychology. -j  "Out  of  389  observers,  237  note  psychic 
effects  of  depression  more  or  less  marked  from  the  passing  of  a 
cloud  over  the  sun." 

Did  we  speak  of  the  amoeba?  We  have  proof  that  the  insect 
also  feels  this  that  the  psychologist  found  regarding  man,  for  insects 
change  their  day  song  into  their  night  song  on  the  passing  of  a 
cloud  over  the  sun,  |  and  the  tempo  of  their  rhythms  gets  subdued 

*  See  "Pulse  and  Rhythm"  by  Mary  Hallock - Greenewalt  in  Popular 
Science  Monthly  for  September,  1903.  "Pulse  in  Verbal  Rhythm"  by  Mary 
Hallock-Greenewalt  in  Poet  Lore  for  the  summer  of  1905. 

t  January.  1903,  page  73  (G.  Stanley  Hall  and  L.Smith):  "Reactions  of 
Light  and  Darkness." 

t  "  Stridulation  of  Some  New  England  Orthoptera."  S.  H.  Scudder.  Boston 
Soc.  of  Nat.  Hist.,  October  23,  1867. 


on  that  side  of  a  hill  where  the  moonlight  is  less  bright  than  v/here 
a  sister  choir  is  chirping.*     .  ^  . 

Did  we  speak  of  the  insect?  We  have  proof  that  the  flower 
feels  this  that  the  psychologist  fpund  about  raan.  "The  little 
Leguminosa  performs  a  sort  of  perpetual  and  intricate  dance  in 
honour  of  light.  Its  leaves  live  in  a  state  of  rhythmical,  almost 
chronometrical  and  continuous  agitation. .  They  are  so  sensitn^e  to 
light  that  their  dance  Sags  or  quickens  according  as  the  clouds  y^l 
or  uncover  that  corner  of  the  sky  which  they, contemplate. "f    w,.; 

If  a  fi.ower  senses  the  changes  in  light  that  a  mere  cldud  can 
make,  how  much  more  can  we  make  out  of  it.  And  how  are  we 
"to  make  out  of  it."  Purely  it  is  only  a  matter  of  refining  to  the 
nth  degree  something  which  is  already  in  existence;  refining  it, 
however,  till  the  product  begets  as  new  and  distinct  a  being  from 
what  has  gone  before  as  any  one  thing  can  be  said  to  differ  in  kind 
and  entity  from  another  in  this  world.  How  has  this  been  done 
in  the  other  arts?  How  does  a  child  learn  to  VNraik'?  By  fastening 
itself  onto  something  else  till  it  can  go  alone.  Painting  was  first 
hung  onto  things  seen  till  it  finally  become  a  thing  of  itself.  To 
dance  is  the  tapering  of  to  walk.     To  sing  was  first  a  human  cry. 

The  subtleties  of  light,  spirit  incarnate,  can  be  v,-ell  matched 
in  their  ethereal  beauty  by  one  other  thing:  the  shadings  of  sound. 
Here  can  be  made  a  fitting  marriage  of  mates  worthy  one  of  the 
other.  Both  are  imponderable,  vibrating  atmosphere,  vibrating 
ether.  What  other  two  things  can  flow  along  changing  wiik  thai 
which  may  be  measured  only  by  the  sensitiveness  of  feeling,  spiritual 
enough  to  laugh  at  the  impositions  of  matter? 

But  just  how  are  they  to  be  matched  together?  By  what 
logic?  By  vvhat  fitness?  We  v/ill  tackle  the  analogies  later  where, 
through  color,  they  become  infinitely  more  subtle.  Here  let  us 
pose  the  fact  that  surely  a  sombre  melody  will  suggest  darkened 
light,  a  happy  tune  brightened  light;  the  high  of  m.usic  calling  out 
rather  the  bright  of  light,  the  low  of  music,  the  dark  of  hght. 
Since  brightness  stimulates  the  pulse  of  the  human  being  as  well 
as  the  creature,  since  the  pulse  by  subconscious  anaiogy  impresses 
its  tim.e  variations  on  the  rhythmic  output  of  the  anim.al  and  human 


*  "The  Songs  of  the  Grasshoppers,"  S.  H.  Scudder,  The  Am.  NaL,  Vol.  II, 
p.  113.  May,  1868,  No.  3. 

"The  Lives  of  the  Flowers,"  Maeterlinck. 


being  so  a  direct  scientific  contact  may  be  established  between 
brightness  and  the  time  rates  of  music  but  only  as  "the  pavilion 
covers  all  the  merchandise."*  We  hasten  to  add  that  this  sort  of 
pairing  is  the  crude  of  the  sum  total.  It  is  the  crude,  not  because 
high:  bright,  low:  dark,  happy:  light,  sad:  dark,  fast:  bright,  slow: 
dark,  are  not  perfectly  sound  analogies,  to  begin  with,  but  because 
choice,  taste,  those  working  means  of  the  artist,  can  go  infinitely 
further.  It  is  quite  possible  to  decide  on  giving  a  background  of 
lowered  light  to  high  music  and  vice  versa.  It  is  possible  to  com- 
bine light  and  music  as  one  wills.  The  artist  "saw  it  Was  good." 
That  is  the  only  necessity. 

Let  us  show  by  illustration  what  we  mean  by  fitting  the  inten- 
sities of  light  to  the  emotions  of  music.  Let  me  play  you  the  first 
movement  of  the  "Moonlight  Sonata,"  by  Beethoven,  so  well  fitted 
by  name  and  context  for  illuminating  the  point.  I  will  play  it 
through  only  with  a  monochromatic  light,  fitting  the  dark  and  the 
bright  only  to  the  music  without  change  of  tint. 

The  need  of  man  for  aesthetic  expression  has  never  been 
stopped  by  poverty  of  means.  I  have  in  my  possession  a  thin, 
crooked,  dirty  yellow  candle,  not  half  so  thick  as  my  little  finger 
and  primitive  in  the  extreme.  It  came  from  a  little  church  in 
Tarsus,  where  such  as  itself — crude,  simple  rough,  in  bulk  less  than 
a  lead  pencil — were  raised  by  means  of  their  light  to  the  point  of 
expressing  all  the  sanctity  of  the  church  and  the  beauty  of  holiness; 
and  this  at  that  intense  centre,  the  church's  beginning. 

Much  can  be  done  by  even  the  manner  of  raising  an  eyebrow 
or  tapping  on  a  table. 

Whatever  we  may  say  further  in  this  paper,  it  is  always  to  be 
understood  that  the  instrument  for  expressing  by  light  may  be 
made  just  as  small  or  as  splendid  as  one  will  or  can. 

(Here  was  played  the  Moonlight  Sonata  of  Beethoven, 
accompanied  by  varying  intensities  of  monochromatic  light 
and  no  change  in  tint.) 


*  See  Popular  Science  Monthly  for  September.   1903,  "Pulse  and  Rhythm" 
by  Mary  Hallock. 


We  have  been  dealing  with  the  imponderable,  acting  on  the 
imponderable,  with  sensation  playing  on  feeling.  There  is  a 
capacity  finer  still:  that  of  arriving  at  conclusions  through  that 
which  one  cannot  see,  v/hich  one  cannot  feel,  which  one  can  only 
think.  Grind  down  abstractly  with  the  brain,  complete  the  circle 
of  knowledge  regarding  any  one  point,  thing,  or  phase  of  a  thing, 
and  the  subject  matter  promptly  tumbles  into  shape,  and,  most 
important,  the  underlying  mechanics  necessarily  simplify. 

As  long  as  this  subject  was  seized  from  the  color  end,  it  must 
have  remained,  mechanically  speaking,  a  tangle,  which  no  amount 
of  intricate  light  unit  arrangement  could  have  quite  circumvented. 
When  the  flower — the  insect,  called  out  intensity,  intensities  of 
light  alone  can  play  on  the  sensations,  then  variegated  colors  took 
their  place  as  the  ornaments  to  the  idea  and  quantity  stepped 
forth  as  the  essential.  The  mechanics,  in  other  words,  are  intri- 
cate beyond  means,  viewed  from  the  necessity  of  handling  colored 
lights  of  myriad  hues.  The  matter  looks  different  when  it  is 
seen  that  intensity  gives  the  myriad  shades,  only  so  many  times 
multiplied  by  the  seven  prismatic  colors  or  their  three  primary 
tones. 

The  all-important  factor,  mechanically  speaking,  became,  then, 
the  devising  of  a  mechanism  through  which  one  could  deal  out 
quantities  of  light  at  will  as  subtly  as  a  violinist  feels  out  timbre  or 
a  singer  gives  forth  overtones. 

We  have  here  devised  such  a  control,  represented  by  this 
drawing,  which  we  hope  will  fill  every  bill.  I  wish  it  could  "foot 
every  bill."  Its  mercantile  success  would  then  be  assured;  every 
person  in  this  world  would  buy  one.  We  have  not  considered 
making  it  work  by  the  feet,  for  this  reason  however:  The  length, 
strength  and  heel  support  of  the  foot  offers  advantages  no  one  will 
gainsay.  From  the  point  of  need  which  brought  this  drawing 
forth,  the  controlling  of  light  intensities  by  means  of  the  air  pump 
principles  has  technical  logic  back  of  it.  Any  play  of  feeling  set 
going  from  within  the  human  being,  must  take  account  of  a  give 
and  take  as  subtle  in  motion  as  that,  conscious  or  unconscious,  of 
the  lungs  and  heart,  not  to  mention  still  finer  sources  of  physiologic 
perturbance 

There  is  choice  as  to  the  muscular  "feel"  best  suited  to  the 
governing  of  an  increase  and  decrease  of  brightness  as  sensitive  as 

7 


feeling  itself.  It  would  be  extremely  difficult,  for  example,  to  hold 
the  hand  up  in  the  air  for  the  length  of  time  required  while  moving 
a  button  over  a  aianate (space  in  a  longispaniof  tiine.  ifi^iii  vjiojjq. 

''  ''A  certin  ampleness  of  action  would  be  needed  to  take  account 
of  all  the  whimsicalities,  surprises,  accents  arid  transitions  which 
light  might  be  cailed  upon  to  express. 

Fluid  pressure,  hi^s.,been.c;hosen,  because  it  offers  fluid  control. 
The  pump  operates  a  friction  drive,  which,  through  the  regulator 
principle,  cuts  off  or  increases  supply  to  light  choirs,  no  matter 
where  situated,  each  of  which  is  manned  by  its  own  rhotor-driven 
resistance  slide.  These  choirs  can  be  single  lights  or  massed  lights, 
lighting  a  fraction  of  a  stage  or  an  entire  auditorium.  The  lights 
may  be  manned  by  any  sort  of  filter  reqiiired— folliri^,  shifting  or 
static,  according  to  the  fineness  of  resiiits  aimed'  fdrf'' 


It  is,  of  course,  useless  to  use  any  of  the  spectrum  curves  not 
found  ill.  the  tamp  itself.  The  evening  up  of  the  defi^cient  color 
prpportipo^swjthin;, the  light  may  be  made  up  by  the,  t^se  of  lamps 
of  greater  or  less  power,  as  the  ray ^,- of,  a  given  color  are  fewer  or 
greater. 

It  is  certain  that  rarely  beautiful, iilte:rs,  colored. fcd'ntiguously 
so  as  to  isolate  the  .spectrum, colors ^  found  w^  the  lamp  and 

merging  one  into  the  other  at  the  point  of  contact,  can  be  made 
out  of  glass,  acetate  of  cellulose,  or  a  noncombustible  celluloid  just 
announced  by  a  Japanese  firm.* 

A:  thicker  medium  will  give  a  better  result  than  a. thinner,  but 
in  every  case  the  filter  must  be  tuned  to  the  lamp.  .U  J    ,   ' 

A  rolling  filter,  dy fed  to  syhchroiiize  with  the  succeysioft's  &i5<3rh- 

panied,  will  still  fiirther  simplify  the  light  units  tised,  as  one  is  less 

than  three  or  seven:' '■''^'  ^i-'-'-'  ''-'■-'>  ■'■■''  "-  J-u>qqufe  hrni  unn  iU^ 

■.Y7    T  jc         i'**^   r(.->ff{w    b^^'f   lo..lntoo   grit   ,rno-jH      .ye 

y^'e  have  found  a  spacing  of  five-sixteenths  of  an  inch  to  every 

beat  pf  music  satisfactory  even  for  a  fifteen-inch  lamp  opening. 

Fortunately,  one  unit  of  beat,  not  inelastic,,  of  course,  underlies 

all  music.  ,       , 

U.'    ■■:.;■.:■.  ■■■:!<^.-:i;.ui    ;0  i:\.)Oi:)iiiU):  !     ■  :       ■:<Ati:t    Dfti 

>,:A.d*ania  of. light  aB.<£  sound  alone  undisturbed  by  object  seit- 
ting,  can  be  gotten  by  playing  on  low  intensities.  1 1  has  appealed 
to  me  to  have  the  players  and  their  ins|:f::Uni.ents  out  of  sight. 

*  Refer  to  Darby  a'lid  Darby,  220  Broadway,  New  York. 


Ih;  other  words,  then,  this  drawing,  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
Patent  Office  at  Washington,  no  matter  what  the  space  illuminated 
or  amount  of  brilliance  capacity  used,  allows  of  the  increasing  and 
decreasing  of  light  intensities,  similarly  to  the  manner  ih  which  one 
increases  or  decreases  the  loud  and  soft  of  music  with  a  capacity 
for  timing  suited  to  even  the  accents  and  sudden  emotional  transi- 
tions possible,  to  i the  dynamic  shadings  of  sound  or,  any  art  of 
succession;  .1  ;      .  i  , 


3ji{  j     Simplifying,  thi?,  qijestion  to  dyn^jnic  cpjitrol,  m^k;^,^- jLjt^^ ^F?^ 

{ J^;^pply  light;  to, ijiercantile :proposi^ioji§. ,   We  hay^-^^jt;^.,  a,s^(?(^jjd 

drawing,  showing  the  use  of  tracker  board  and  rolling  perforated 

pape.i*  for  ^ttainipg  lighting  ends.    This  priricipip  can.^^sily  |^^  uged 

witii  piapolaSj  a^olian?  and  Jike  mephanical  ins.tjruin,^pt?j^il^y^^,|!:iee^ 

.,j%jnQ  sjensje,, be  confined  to, ^hein.  bg7olo-~' 

'■^•'•'It  is  proposed  to  use  with  the  phonograph  ;the  principle  of 

revolving    color    discs    for    attaining   light   effects,   the   blades   of 

transparent  material  in   desired  prppp?taons,^-^qv;oiyi]^^.Qyiqr  lights. 


{C:hangeable  for  desired  tints. 


V70]-l       ^/lOlo 


niloh.ii  one  could  dream,  one  could  conceive' .cifiainaGhiihe,  blades, 
lights,  placed  in  loveliest  alabaster,  a.  ./'light"  home  for  rich 
overtones.  Parchment,  glass,  acetate  of  cellulose,  or  like  materials, 
offer  makeshifts  for  the  richer  material  rnentioned  above.  The 
lids  to  many  mechanical  instrurri^riti^iijstaJjd  in  the  position  of 
reflectors,  arid,,?nai}y,  of,  t^bi^ii^  ,ca§^  ,nee4  i^pj: -be ■  altered, iJjof.tV^a^ 
of  space.      ■.■..-...■.■>;■''     ■'■  ,.;o:    ■  .;;!-.. !,.i      ,■;-.■■,    -•-.■:..•.,    ,,.,._  ,■,.(•-.'( 

A  cunningly  devised  nomenclature  is  really  back  of  the  amaz- 
ingly intricate  development  of  the  art  of  music.  Certainly  one 
art,  that  of  poetry,  has  suffered  on  its  rhythmic  side,  at  least,  for 
want  of  symbols  invented  for  orderly  purpose.     The  rhythm  of 

iLatin  prose  has  been  entirely  lost  for  want  of  it.mt}/.iJ9J- — itmhoila 
'  Rather  than  err  on  this  side,  let  us  at  once  suggest  d.  rio'riieh- 
clature  to  guide  in  the  repeated  use  of  light  as  an  art,  and  to  hold 
fast  that  which  one  may  have  already  gotten.  By  its  means  the 
same  sequence  of  light  play  may  be  used  by  different  individuals 
in  different  parts  of  the  world,  and  a  repetition  of  light  effects 
once  gotten  could  be  had  without  the  time  spent  and  trouble 
undergone  on  reconsideration  of  the  same  problem. 

Sensation  can  make  use  of  gradations  infinitely  finer  than 
those  called  for  by  everyday  use.    The  time  variations  which  make 

Oi9 


expression  in  music,  for  example,  are  so  fine  as  to  be  only  felt, 
scarcely  to  be  measured.  Degrees  of  darkness,  in  none  of  which 
objects  could  be  plainly  seen,  would  not  count  in  daily  life.  They 
could  speak  with  the  resonance  of  a  cannon  in  this  art. 

We  subjoin  the  thesis:  A  Nomenclature  to  underly  the  use  of 
light  as  a  Fine  Art. 

I  think  that  the  fitting  of  the  intensities  of  light  to  the  play- 
ground of  the  amphitheatre,  even  to  an  art  as  subtle,  abstruse 
and  artificial  as  music,  would  be  subscribed  to  by  anybody.  The 
subject  arouses  greater  debate  when  it  is  said  that  these  emotional 
subtleties  can  find  their  analogies  in  color;  and  yet,  of  the  two, 
the  latter  offers  the  subtler  phase.  But,  then,  that  is  according  as 
to  whether  one  likes  the  monochromatic  drawing  as  well  as  the 
variously  colored  print  or  not,  not  forgetting  the  supreme  pre- 
eminence in  beauty,  which  light  in  itself  has  over  all  other  media 
of  which  art  now  makes  use. 

How  can  a  phrase  of  music  suggest  a  tint?  How  can  a  note 
suggest  a  color?  How  can  a  whole  piano  in  its  entire  scale  suggest 
a  color  different  from  that  of  another  piano?  How  can  a  violin 
suggest  a  color  different  from  that  of  a  trumpet?  How  can  one 
person  suggest  a  sheep  while  another  suggests  the  cat,  or  even  an 
elephant  or  seal?     Why  is  analogy? 

There  is  a  whole  literature  on  color  audition  and  kindred 
associations.  Here  are  a  few  words  out  of  one  short  pamphlet  of 
fourteen  pages  only,  labelling  them:*  " Synaesthetic — a  person 
whose  thoughts  are  colored."  "  Psychochromaesthetic — a  person 
whose  mentation  is  chromatic."  Think  of  this,  "once," — a  per- 
son whose  whole  mind  is  colored;  where  would  the  things  colored 
come  in?  "Tastephotism — odorphotism — touchphotism — pain- 
photism — temperaturephotism."  Here  the  eye  goes  and  the  ear 
comes  in,  and,  of  course,  the  same  could  be  repeated  with  every 
other  sense  and  senses  combined:  colorphonism,  odor-,  touch-, 
temperature-,  painphonism.  1  suppose  this  is  a  learned  literature. 
Let  us,  just  for  fun,  tear  it  in  two  right  here  and  throw  it  in  the 
scrapbasket.  The  whole  brain  is  one  associated  or  linked  sensa- 
tion. The  whole  world  could  scarcely  hold  the  books  on  the  subject, 
for  language  itself  is  made  up  of  it.  When  we  say  "  good  "  morning, 
loud"    clothes,    "swearing"    colors,    we    are    linking    sensations. 

*  "Colored  Thinking  and  Allied  Conditions,"  Science  Progress,  1914. 

10 


When  a  Frenchman  calls  a  baked  potato  a  potatoe  in  its  dressing 
gown, — "pomme  de  terre  a  la  robe  de  chambre," — he  is  doing 
"some"  linking  of  sensations.  "Some"  linking,  slang  though  it  be  is 
"some"  example  of  itself.  A  little  colored  girl,  nine  years  old, 
came  into  a  room  where  a  bunch  of  pungent  paper  narcissus  stood. 
"My,  Miss  Anna,"  she  said,  "but  these  flowers  do  smell  out  loud." 
She  was  linking  sensations.  The  city  banker's  son  was  described 
at  the  moving  picture  show  as  a  "high  stepper  whose  neckties 
sounded  like  a  bread  riot."  The  thing  harks  back  to  the  cate- 
gories,* to  those  attributes  which  underlie  all  things:  quality,  quan- 
tity, extension,  weight,  time,  space.  Similar  qualities  can  link 
remotely  dissimilar  things.  A  heavy  disposition  is  like  lead. 
Should  this  linking  of  sensations  become  inevitable — not  to  be 
rid  of — like  the  constant  sounding  of  the  note  A  in  the  great  Schu- 
mann's mind  after  he  had  worked  his  mind  to  death  for  our  bene- 
fit, then  the  matter  becomes  sad,  becomes  different,  because  it  is 
a  sign  of  deterioration,  or  disorder,  in  the  mental  mechanism.  If 
you  had  to  see  a  peach  every  time  you  said  a  girl  was  a  "peach," 
that  would  be  sad.  But  to  exercise  choice  deliberately  between 
the  fitness  of  this  with  the  fitness  of  that,  to  enhance  this  of  a 
certain  quality  with  that  of  a  certain  quality,  surely  that  is  one 
of  the  glories  of  the  human  mind.  It  takes  no  reach  to  include 
music  and  light  in  the  play 

As  a  simple  sample  of  how  intensities  and  tint  would  inter- 
play, let  us  go  back  in  thought  to  the  first  phrases  of  the  Moonlight 
Sonata.  We  are  satisfied  with  quantity  of  light  until  the  melodic 
note  ushers  in  a  new  factor.  The  stage  has  been  set.  The  prima 
donna  appears.  Who  is  better  fitted  to  the  role  than  a  color?  But 
here,  ah  here,  the  intense — the  real  labor  of  the  artist  begins:  to 
exercise  choice  while  all  the  threads  are  kept  firmly  held.  Behold! 
A  phrase,  a  color,  just  this, — but  here  is  the  way  it  would  go: 
Shall  I  give  this  melody  a  pink?  The  notes  are  pungent,  clear, 
sharp,  not  high,  in  the  middle.  Would  a  clear  blue  have  sufficiently 
these  qualities?  How  high  a  pink  shall  it  be?  and  just  what  value? 
What  average  of  the  color  shall  I  strike  that  I  may  take  its  paler 
shades  for  still  higher  melodies  later?  Where  will  the  color  begin 
and  where  cease?  How  frequent  can  the  changes  of  intensity  and 
tint  be  and  not  tire  the  muscles  of  the  iris  and  the  nerves  of  the 


*  Kant's  "Critique  of  the  Pure  Reason." 

n 


retina?  And  so  it  goes.  The  exercise  of  choice  while  holding  ori 
to  all  the  threads  is  the  only  thing  to  lead  them  to  the  successful; 
conclusion.  .     ,• 

.Ifity  the  artist  and  be  very  kind  to  him  or  her,  Th^re  is  no 
limit,,, tOv the;  »unib^r  of  threads  ,t;p,be  held,  and  the  manne?';  jof 
handling  the  same  thir^g  differ^  with  ej^^^f  .in^ivi^Jp^l  ,^n4,Kwit|p 
ev^ry  moment,,  ,,,   r:o;-i       ■,    :, ,    -vv^^^r.   ■■■'--•■.;>-:    ^-vr----:     v.-O    U\ 

">?  -Theit;  too,* color  itself  has  its  own  ideas,  its  own  wh'mbicalitiieS'.< 
It^iS' the  worst  sort  C)f  capricious  chameleon,  taking  on  a  different; 
hue  according  as  to  what  is  put  next  to  it  or  before  it.  Memory  isi 
too  strong  for  succession  to  escape  the  taskmaster  who  holds  sway 
in  the  contiguous  Use  of  color," 'jThe'Slter  imp!ress!«>n'  is «imiiltarieoys' 
thougii  made-in  succession. *i'^j'  ^-^  anfbauOd  Jfi.o:;no:;  ^iyi  ^Ai:-    to  L>n 

One  doep  not  forget  the  spoilt  phrase  In  the  omerwise  pe'ffect) 
interpretation.  There  is  nothing  autocratic  about  this  choice  of 
intensity  and  hue  for  any  given  work;  no  more  so  than  that  each 
person  should  wear  but  orie  color  dress.  Art  means  the  filtering 
through  the  individual,  "a|ia,  jii'st'  as  each  individual  differs  frorn 
another,  so  would  the  exercise  of  choice  in  one  differ  from  the  exer- 
cise of  choice  by  another.  There  is  no  organic  necessity  between 
the  interpretation  and  the  thing  iriterpretedi.  You  have  seen  how 
we  can  do  the  Moonlight  Sonata  monochro'matically  in  any  of  the 
tints,  and  just  so  variously  can  choice  differ  in  differerit  individuals 
f<5f nth,©;  selfsame  composition.  Not  only  this,  but  the  same  indi-, 
vidual  would  clothe  differently  different  interpretations  of  the  same 
work.  The  same  symphony  under  one  conductor  has  a  different 
entity  from  one  of  itselves  under  another  baton;  and  both  may  be, 
in  their  way,  equally  beautiful.  A  certain  fitness  there  must  be, 
that  the  physiognomy  be  not  distorted.  A  noble  thing  turned  into 
a  jig  ceases  to  be  itself,  and  vice  versa. 

The  exercise  of  choice,  backed  by  that  which  is  learnable,  is- 
the  one  master  in  art,  light  and  color  not  excepted. 

You  see  before  you  what  we  have  gone  through  in  arriving  at 
a  fitting  light  accompaniment  to  four  short  pieces,  ail  of  them 
together  not  taking  more  than  live  minutes  to  play.  Future  work 
will,  of  course,  be  infinitely  easier  in  comparison;  the  mistakes,  at 
least,  need  not  be  repeated. 


*  "Time  Eternal"  by  Mary  Hallock-Greehewalt. 

12 


The  underlying  work  for  these  light  interpretations  began  in 
the  year  1 906,  first  with  the  careful  study  of  the  composition  to  be 
interpreted,  looked  at  from  the  light  support  viev/point.  With 
that  as  a  basis,  the  piecing  of  gelatin  films  together,  accoi-ding  to 
the  succession  determined  upon  undertaken,  and  the  crude  reel 
made.  The  imposed  layers  by  turns  intercepted  and  nullified  the 
rays,  and  we  turned  to  the  stei-edpticon,  thinking  the  fault  lay  with 
the  lack  of  lens.  Then  follow^ed  the  carefully  planned  oil  painting 
as  a  basis  for  the  stained  photographic  film,  and  again  a  crude 
mechanism.  Five-sixteenths  of  an  inch  was  the  space'  marked  to 
every  beat  of  music.  That  the  same  elastic  unit  of  beat  underlies 
allmusic  helped  considerably.  By  this  time  a  non-inflammable 
film  was  allowed  on  the  market.  Pastels  of  the  tints  approximatirig 
what  was  wanted  were  prepared,  and  the  acetate  of  cellulose  dyed 
accordingly.  This  was  made  fifteen  inches  v/ide  to  go- in  front  of 
a  light  unit  with  parabolic  refiectcr,  which  gave  very  good  results, 
of  which  you  will  be  able  to  judge  in  a  few  minutes. 

The  tungsten  light  seemed  to  yield  so  pooi-  ^'bltie  tliat  it  was 
thought  a  condenser,  by  bringing  the  rays  closer,  would  help,  and 
a  light  unit  was  developed  v^^ith  mirror  reflector  behind  and  con- 
denser in  front.  I  think  that  eventually  both  condenser  and 
reflector  units  will  be  used  for  self-evident  reasons:  the  pointed 
brilliance  and  the  mellowed  softness  both  have  their  speaking 
value.  '^^  ^«^  ;■ 

1 1  was  the  constant  necessity  of  playing  with  shadov/s  on  these 
tinted  sequences  that  brought  out  the  all  importance  of  the  dynamic 
in  the  use  of  light  as  a  fine  art.  It  was  helped  to  a  sound  base  by 
my  researches  in  "beat"  or  tempo. 

The  loveliest  fine  art  of  all  will  be  this,  the  sixth  to  come  into 
existence.  With  what  strength  it  will  speak,  compared  to  the 
powers  held  among  the  others,  no  one  can  foretell.  We  prophesy 
for  it  a  place  among  the  first. 

The  manner  in  which  the  problem  was  tackled,  as  described 
above,  is  proof,  I  think,  that  the  notion  was  original  to  myself. 
I  had  no  knowledge  of  any  labor,  even  remotely  parallel,  till  after 
notice  of  my  work  had  seen  print,  and  then  what  had  been  done 
seemed  not  in  the  slightest  to  affect  or  interfere  with  my  particular 
vision  of  it.  Indeed  color  and  music  have  been  so  here  and  there 
bandied  about  together  because  it  happened  to  be  the  vocation  of 

13 


that  individual  launching  the  idea.  Had  I  been  a  reader  of  epic 
poetry  or  a  pantominic  artist  this  fine  use  of  light  would  have 
been  launched  in  conjunction  with  these  arts  since  the  categorical 
connection  between  light  and  music  is  no  more  than  between  light 
and  any  other  art. 

My  press  notices  record  a  performance  of  mine  of  music  done 
to  a  mobile  lighting  accompaniment,  April  15,  1911,  at  Egyptian 
Hall,  Philadelphia.  The  article  which  refers  to  this  performance 
appeared  in  the  Philadelphia  Press,  Sunday,  March  12,  1912.  It 
is  this  notice  which,  multigraphed,  was  sent  to  the  leading  news- 
papers of  St.  Petersburg,  Rome,  London,  Paris,  Berlin  and  other 
large  centres  of  the  world,  as  part  of  the  publicity  done  to  prepare 
the  way  for  a  continual  tour  as  pianist  which  my  managers  felt  I 
could  expect.  As  it  was,  I  did  tour  extensively  that  season  and 
the  next,  and  only  the  war  prevented  the  Australian  trip  next 
scheduled. 

The  copy  sent  to  the  New  York  papers  bore  fruit  in  references 
to  my  work  in  light  in  an  essay  on  the  title  "Seven  Arts"  by  Mr. 
James  Huneker  in  Puck,  and  in  his  latest  volume  of  essays.  Proof 
that  the  notices  sent  to  other  parts  of  the  world  saw  print  is  held  in 
the  fact  that  some  three  or  four  out  of  several  dozen  were  returned 
unopened  for  want  of  sufficient  postage.  In  many  cities  abroad 
"punishment"  money  has  to  be  paid  in  addition  to  the  insufficiency 
due,  and  it  is  to  be  expected  that  where  a  paper  has  paid  money 
for  the  receipt  of  a  communication,  it  will  use  what  it  has  had  to 
pay  for.  One  of  these  returned  letters  with  notice  was  saved  for 
future  copy  and  is  subjoined.* 


1424  Master  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa., 

April  3,  1912. 
*  Dramatic  and  Musical  Elditor  of  Journal  De  Bruxelles, 

Independence  Beige,  Belgium. 
My  Dear  Sir  : 

It  is  through  the  advice  of  Dr.  Talcott  Williams,  Associate  Editor  of  the 
Philadelphia  Press,  and  recently  chosen  as  the  first  director  of  the  Pulitzer  School 
of  Journalism  of  Columbia  University,  New  York,  that  we  venture  to  send  you 
the  enclosed  notice  at  this  time. 

The  details  of  the  work  have  never  failed  to  interest  keenly  the  men  and 
women  with  alert  minds  to  whom  they  have  been  presented  and  on  that  score 
we  hope  you  can  give  the  paragraph  prominent  space. 
I  am. 

Respectfully  and  indebtedly  yours, 

(Signed)  F.  L.  GREENEWALT. 

14 


I  played  with  a  prepared  mobile  lighting  accompaniment  in 
Perkiomen  Seminary,  Pennsburg,  Pa.,  in  Feb.,  1912,  and  in  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  under  the  auspices  of  the  new  Young  Women's  Christian 
Association  March  26, 1 9 1 4.  On  September  2 1 , 1 9 1 6,  at  the  Bellevue- 
Stratford,  Philadelphia, — it  is  quite  the  most  beloved  performance 
of  my  life, — I  played  some  numbers  of  music  with  mobile  lighting 
accompaniment  before  the  yearly  convention  of  the  Illuminating 
Engineering  Society.  I  consider  the  results  obtained  in  the  Chopin 
"Prelude  No.  2,"  the  Debussy  number,  "And  the  Moon  Descends 
on  the  Temple  which  was,"  and  the  "Turkish  March"  by  Mozart 
at  that  performance  as  successful  demonstrations  of  this  art. 

{Note  Continued) 

THE  PHRASES  OF  MUSIC  SHOWN  UP  IN  BECOMING  COLORS 

Mary  Hallock,  pianiste,  insists  laughingly  that  it  was  in  emulation  of  the 
mis-en-scene  surrounding  and  assisting  the  opera  stars,  that  started  her  using 
a  color  lighting  accompaniment  with  some  of  her  piano  interpretations.  Her 
labors  in  this  direction,  however,  have  been  so  subtle  and  painstaking,  have 
represented  so  much  work  that  this  was  only  the  occasion,  the  cause  lying 
deeper  in  the  consciousness,  that  the  harmonies  of  sound  appealing  to  a  single 
sense  could  well  stand  the  simultaneous  re-inforce  of  an  appeal  to  sight  eis  well. 
Surely  "the  stars  helped  and  the  sea  bore  part"  in  a  notion  which  clothes  every 
beat  and  bar  of  music  with  a  lighting  atmosphere  fitting  to  it  and  changing 
subtly  with  the  moods  and  phases  of  the  bars  as  they  pass. 

It  dated  from  a  suggestion  made  as  far  back  as  1906  by  a  gentleman  of 
long  experience  and  critical  authority  that  Miss  Hallock  play  the  "Moonlight 
Sonata"  with  a  quasi-scenic  setting  such  as  a  rising  moon  and  cloud  effects. 
This  gave  birth  to  a  verity  infinitely  more  subtle  that  each  quality  of  phrase 
could  be  enhanced  by  the  proper  degree  of  light  or  dark  as  well  as  color  best 
approximating  its  inward  content,  not  exterior  panorama.  The  temperament  of 
one  person  will  suggest  a  gray  dress,  whereas,  to  another  red  would  be  more  in 
keeping.  In  this  analogous  way  every  phrase  of  a  composition  will  hint  at  a 
sympathetic  color  lighting  atmosphere  of  this  or  that  value. 

As  to  the  value  of  a  setting  is  impalpable  as  the  tone  vibrations  themselves, 
no  one  who  has  heard  a  piano  recital,  with  the  sun  sending  its  parting  rays  through 
the  windows  of  a  Chapel  or  Hall  can  doubt. 

This  idea  has  been  worked  out  by  this  pianiste  with  an  exactness  which 
took  account  of  every  beat  or  bar  in  a  given  composition  so  that  metronome 
marks  and  ritards  were  carefully  accounted  for  in  the  color  mechanism. 

Four  short  pieces  were  first  chosen  with  regard  to  distinct  and  favorable 
contrast.  Two  of  them  are  by  Debussy,  the  third  is  the  inexpressibly  dark  and 
tragic  second  prelude  of  Chopin,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  Turkish  March  by 
Mozart.  Of  the  two  last  the  March  is  pitched,  as  one  would  expect,  in  bright 
red  and  blue,  purple  and  gold;  while  the  Chopin  prelude  suggests  all  that  color 
found  in  the  depths  of  the  sea, — dark  greens  and  browns,  the  repellent  and  the 
sombre. 

One  good  result  from  this  labor  will  be  the  elimination  of  those  glaring 
chandeliers,  torturing  the  eyes  into  a  headache  the  next  morning  after  every 
concert.  The  first  tentative  rehearsal  was  given  in  Egyptian  Hall,  Philadelphia, 
Pa..  April  15,  1911. 

15 


It  is  well  known  that  it  is  the  crying  envs'-  of  a  painter's  soul 
to  coine  '45^' near; matching  the  essence'  of  light  with  the  pigment 
on  his  canvas  as  he  can  "Whether  playing  Math  light  will  easily 
give  splendors  and  richnesses  of  darkness  as  well  as  light  hereto- 
fore only' to  be  dreamed  of  dahrtot  be  determined  without  further 
practice.  It  is  hard  to  irnagihe  how  one  can  get  those  singing 
biowns  and  blacks  of  Whistler  which  one  feels  would  be  fitted  to 
the  detonations  of  the  pipe  organ,'  without  the  special  Mtention 
of  a  painter  turneid  Ori  the  filter.  Certainly  a  master  colbrist  would 
be  needed  with  the  brush  and  sprayer  to  get  the  mixed  richness  and 
quality  worthy  of  the  vi^ord'^Wind' atid' sti'irtgs/-thfe'-b'fa:SS?''and  tyni- 
pani.  I  think  the  day  will  come  when  great  artists  will  vie  with 
each  other  in  getting  out  these  rolHng  screens.  In  these  they  will 
not  be  copying  the  prismatic  Ta.ys;  they  will  be  coloring  with  them. 
Care  only  must  be  taken  that  the  rays  be  proportioned'  rightly  for 
the  painter's  use,  that  no  quality  missing  in  the  light  will  render 
their  beautiful  labor  '  incompletely.  ':  No, 'color  'knowledge  cari''ge't 
more  out  of  a  light  than  already  exists  in  it.  Every  ,kn>eiWB/ in:^|«l!Jl^ 
ment  has  its  irremediable  disadvantages  however.  "\^*^''  »-"9^  f*'"*^ 

To  fJter  or  not  to  filter,  that  is  the^ 'queBtion  which  should 
determine  the  composition  of  a  light.  This  lovely  side  of  the  sub- 
ject of  filter ituned  to:light,  and  light  tuned  to.filter,  is,  worthy  tt^e 
attention  of  the  ki^gs  of  illumination.  What  woman  is  not  corf- 
stantiy  looking  out  for,  a  king?  ...a,q  '^di  -^d  'L^^nntU  ^d  b£oi 

It  IS,  after  all,  only  a  matter  of  tuning  lip  to'tKe  sev^ii  pflsmSfii; 
shades;  found  in  a  light  unit  and  determining  the  combined  propor 
tions  of  which  they  are  capable.  The  light  laboratories  may  see 
this  taken  away  from  them  into  the  chemical  laboratory.  I  v/ould 
prefer  a  prince  of  illumination.  He  at  least  can  dye  easier  than  the 
chemist  can  alter  the  composition  of  a  light.,/  as^ad  isd  i5j>bi  e; 

We  beg  to  announce  the  matter  as  being  in  tliefoiiowmg  shape: 

A  running  nomenclature  for  recording  intensities  of  lights 
and  tints. 

A  mechanism  for  controlling  these  intensities  of  light,  with 
all  the  smoothness  and  time  considerations  required  by  the  arts  of 
succession,  or  any  similar  stage  requirement.  This  may  be  used 
with  lights,  single  or  in  choirs,  the  prepared  rolling  or  shifting 
filters  to  be  kept  in  the  required  unison,  where  necessary,  by  syn- 
chronizing meters 

16 


The  tracker  board  and  perforated  principle  as  another  control 
of  kind  and  quantity  of  light.  This  is  to  be  used  in  part  v/ith 
pianolas,  aeolians  and  such  like  mechanical  instruments. 

Color  discs,  proportioned  for  any  re<5uired  tint,  and  revolving 
over  lights  to  be  used  in  conjunction  with  phonographs,  automatic 
changes  in  the  light  units  gotten  through  perforated  cards,  and 
changeable  with  every  record. 

"  Since  Nev/ton's  tim.e,  a  table  of  approximate  ratios  has  been 
sought  between  the  seven  notes  of  the  scale  and  the  seven  colors 
of  the  spectrum.  As  a  working  basis,  it  would  be  possible  to  take 
any  succession  of  tints  as  a  formula.  Whether  they  approximate 
in  ratios  or"  notrhas  iidt  thfe  least  to  do  with  it 

To  seek  to  fasten  the  form  of  one  art  on  the  form  of  another 
art,  is,  on  the  face  of  it,  a  miistake,  if  not  an  im.possibiiity.  They 
are  organically  different  things.    They  will  speak  in  different  ways. 

Light,  in  its  very  nature,  is  an  atmosphere,  a  suffusion,  an 
enveloping  m.edium.  To  give  it  the  sharpness  of  short  succession, 
as  Vidth  the  notes  of  an  instrument,  is  inconceivable.  To  give  it  a 
formful  image  on  the  flat,  turns  it  into  a  kaleidoscope. — certainly 
not  a  new  thing.  To  play  with  intensities  of  light  and  tint  ^^  ithout 
forcing  them  out  of  the  groove  to  which  they  cling,  that  will  be  a 
new  jo3^  for  the  artist  as  it  once  was  the  Creator's. 

{The  address  ended  with  the  playing,  with  colored  lighting 
accompaniment,  of  Debussy's  "And  the  Moon  Descends  on 
■writhe.  Temple  which  iOias  ") 


17 


A  NOMENCLATURE  TO  UNDERLY  THE  USE 
OF  LIGHT  AS  A  FINE  ART 

Patent  applied  for.    Copyrighted,  1918,  by  Mary  Hallock-Greenewalt. 

A  hieroglyphic,  a  symbolism,  a  denotation  designed  for  the 
orientation  of  artists  is  a  necessary  adjunct  to  any  art  of  succession. 

A  nomenclature  underlying  the  use  of  light  as  a  fine  art  similar 
to  that  used  on  the  music  page  for  recording  music  is  necessary 
to  this  art's  perpetuation  and  growth. 

It  will  give  written  equivalents  for  a  new  kind  of  aesthetic 
creation.  It  will  record  for  future  performances  of  the  selfsame 
sequence. 

For  obvious  reasons  a  new  art  cannot  make  use  of  a  notation 
already  in  use  by  another  art.  It  is  a  different  thing,  using  different 
medium,  based  on  different  laws  expressing  through  a  different 
sense. 

Light  is  no  more  m.usic  than  it  is  articulate  language. 

The  letters  of  the  alphabet,  the  written  symbols  which  stand 
for  language  were  of  unconscious  and  gradual  development.  A 
musician  may  all  his  life  not  know  the  number  of  vibrations  in  any 
note  he  has  ever  played 

Since  we  are  consciously  and  so  fully  as  possible,  for  a  first 
step,  planning  a  new  nomenclature,  let  us  put  as  much  intelligible 
knowledge  within  its  symbols  as  possible. 

Compactness,  care  of  the  line  space,  the  width,  space  is  neces- 
sary. These  marks  may  be  called  upon  to  wedge  between  the 
staves  on  the  music  page  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  music  or  they 
may  underlie  the  dramatic  line  for  similar  reasons 

To  begin  then:  the  main  attributes  of  an  art  made  up  of  light 
alone  are:  brightness,  hue,  saturation,  time, — as  time  must  be  a 
speaking  part  of  any  art  of  succession — and  space,  as  light  is  a 
thing  for  sight. 

Since  hue  and  saturation  lie,  as  it  were,  in  the  lap  of  bright- 
ness, such  a  nomenclature  must  take  care  of  the  dynamics  of  light: 
the  bright,  the  dark,  first. 

For  reasons  stated  by  me  elsewhere  (see  Trans,  of  the  III.  Eng. 
Soc),  Vol.  XIII,,  No.  7,  Oct.  10,  1918,  intensity  is  Hght's  main, 
its  indispensable  attribute  when  used  as  an  art, 

18 


A  table  of  brightness,  from  the  threshold  of  vision  to  a  high 
light  yields  twelve  space  numerals.  From  one  hundred  lamberts 
or  one  hundred  thousand  millilamberts  to  the  one-ten-thousandth 
of  a  millilambert  we  get  the  unit  and  eleven  ciphers — 100,000,- 
000,000.  Such  an  array  of  spaces  may  well  be  made  use  of  to  hold 
much  that  may  be  needed  by  the  occasion.  It  makes  a  base  carry- 
ing within  itself  a  certain  amount  of  definite  fact  regarding  the 
medium  to  be  used. 

Decimal  places  and  their  figures  can,  in  conjunction  with  a 
calibrated  and  similarly  marked  resistance  slide  placed  conveni- 
ently at  the  manipulator's  disposal,  give  any  intensity  desired 
but,  as  a  nomenclature  for  the  art,  symbols  to  represent  hue  and 
saturation  must  be  added  not  to  mention  still  more  cunning  marks 
of  expression. 

We  will  therefore  turn  the  ciphers  into  squares  to  give  them 
four  cornered  room  as  well  as  be  easier  on  the  following  eye,  and 
mark  the  decimal  commas  and  periods  in  such  a  way  as,  without 
dropping  beneath  the  line,  they  w'll  allow  the  ellision  of  those 
ciphers  or  squares  not  at  that  point  needed  for  giving  either  the 
quantity  of  light  or  its  color. 

We  then  get  the  following: 

inn'nnn.nnn^nn i 

Each  comma  must  have  its  own  distinguishing  direction  to  allow 
of  the  elimination  of  useless  spaces. 

If  only  the  hundred  thousandths  of  a  millilambert  be  needed, 
then  the  comma  inverted  toward  the  left  and  three  last  spaces 
will  be  all  sufficient — *  HH  | 

If  the  tenths,  hundredths,  and  thousandths  of  a  millilambert 
are  wanted,  then  the  decimal  point  and  what  follows  only  will  be 
required — •  XXXX  \ 

Numerals  and  their  value  whether  the  ciphers  are  squared  or 
no,  used  in  conjunction  with  a  calibrated  marked  and  measured 
resistance  slide  will,  of  course,  as  we  have  said,  give  any  light 
intensity  desired,  from  the  threshold  of  vision  placed  for  blue  and 
violet  at  .000012  millilamberts  to  a  high  brightness  v/hich  in  scien- 
tific reckonings  has  been  taken  as  high  as  100,000  millilamberts 
or  100  lamberts.  In  an  art,  however,  the  manner  of  using  these 
intensities  in  their  capacities  for  a  gradual  and  insensible  increase 
and  decrease  of  brightness  is  all-important. 

19 


So  sensitive  must  this  use  of  intensities  be  that  though  the 
increment  of  least  perceptible  brightness  has  been  measured  at 
even  varying  intensities  of  white  light  and  the  spectrum  colors, 

expressing  with  Hght  like  expressing  with  time  in.  music  will  come 
with  nuances  which  can  be  but  felt  though  scarcely  measured. 

Whilst  colors,  like  notes,  are  of  distinct  and  definite  demarca- 
tions one  from  the  other,  the  attribute  inseparable  from  light's 
power  for  emotional  speech  lies  in  its  capacity  for  an  insensible 
increase  and  decrease  in  brightness.  It  is  so,  that  the  day  comes 
and  goes;  it  is  so  connected  with  our  capacitj''  for  a  suggested 
feeling  induced  by  it. 

The  use  of  the  numeral  and  its  similarly  m_arked  slide  will 
denote  for  repeated  use  and.  uses  just  where  the  play  of  different 
increases  and  decreases  of  light  shall  begin  and  end.  ,',i;:.,,,.,(;, ■, 
,.  ,  Other  marks  will.be  needed  to , show , Aoa;  these  "crescendos" 
and  "  decrescendos  "  of  light  intensities  shall  .grow  or  ebb:  the  time 
such,  change  shall  take:  how  a  uniform  light  shall  remain  for  a 
given  span:  how  the  sudden  accent  of  dark  shall  be  asked  for  in  a 
symbolism  put  on  paper  to  represeiit  such  desired  result. 

There  is  no  single  word  in  the  English  language  which  takes 
the  place  for  a  gradual  increase  of  light,  of:  the  word  "crescendo" 
as  used  for  a  gradual  increase  in  loudness  in  music. 
,,  |;, There  is  the  word  brightening,  to  be  sure,  but  this  answers 
for  silver  polish,  too  The  word  "darkling"  exists  for  a  gradual 
decrease  of  light  intensity  and  to  give  it  its  complemental  mate 
we  cannot  do  better  than  coin  the  word  "brightling"  for  its  reversed 
meaning. 

No  line  symbols  could  be  better  for  these  two  words  than  the 
forked  lines  used  to  represent  the  crescendo  and  decrescendo  in 
music. 

The  amount  of  light  said  to  stand  at  the  threshold  of  vision 
for  blue  rays  is,  as  we  said,  .000012  millilamberts;  the  amount  of 
light  given  for  exteriors  at  n-ght  is  0.001  millilamberts. 

.suppose,  then,  a  mark  were  wanted  on  paper  to  denote  a 
gradual  brightening  from  the  threshold  of  vision  to  a  bright  twi- 
light. According  to  the  nomenclature  planned  forked  Tines  from 
one  to  the  other  would  denote  this. 

If  the  opposite  from  twilight  to  the  threshold  of  vision  be 
wanted  the  figures  and  lines  would  be  reversed. 

2® 


If  the  same  even  light  were  wanted  previous  to  or  after  this 
swell  of  light,  a  stredght  line  could  denote  it. 

An  even  light  held  at  the  he'ght  of  an  increase  and  ebb  could 
be  logically  expressed  by  straight  lines:  A  sudden  bright  accent 
thus:  A  and  a  sudden  dark  accent  thus:  \/  It  may  be  that  the 
light  will  be  wanted  brightening  in  waves  or  billows  when  curves 
in  the  lines  would  mark  on  paper  the  desired  effect. 

The  play  of  loud  and  soft  is  a  secondary  attribute  of  the  art 
of  music.  The  play  of  increase  and  decrease  in  light  is  the  indis- 
pensable attribute  of  an  art  made  up  of  light.  For  this  reason  there 
will  be  many  variations  of  the  forked  lines  which  are  found  all 
sufficient  for  the  crescendo  and  decrescendo  of  music. 

The  numerals  giving  the  mechanical  quantity  are,  of  course, 
all  important  as  a  part  of  these  marks  and  indispensable  to  their 
guidance. 

Hue: — 

Hue  is  brightness  broken  up  into  its  component  rays.  Let 
our  square  ciphers  and  their  forked  lines  then  be  as  cups  to  hold, 
not  only  the  intensity,  but  the  color  denotation  also. 

The  primary  colors  are  three.  It  is  well  known  that  any  hue 
may  be  matched  by  combining  the  three  primary  colors:  red, 
green  and  blue  in  proper  proportions.  But  let  us  take  the  six 
chief  spectral  colors:  violet,  blue,  green,  yellow,  orange  and  red,  so 
doubling  this  primal  quantity  and  build  up  our  color  indicators 
on  them.  Our  marks,  governing  the  intensities  of  light,  became  of 
use  through  their  conjunction  with  a  controlled  and  similarly 
marked  resistance  slide.  The  color  must  be  gotten  by  means 
independently  of  this:  that  is,  by  means  of  filters  placed  in  front 
of  the  light  units  and  equipped  with  long  distance  control.  Let 
us  conceive  then  of  a  filter  which  in  itself  can  by  successive  dyes, 
filter  these  main  spectral  colors  according  to  its  position  in  front 
of  the  light.  If  now  the  dye  governing  the  filtering  of  one  color 
be  merged  into  the  dye  governing  the  following  one,  we  could  get 
out  of  that  one  screen  violet,  violet-blue,  blue,  biue-green,  green, 
green-yellov/,  yellow,  yellow-orange,  orange,  orange-red,  red  and 
red-violet  or  twelve  colors.  These  colors  made  less  saturated  by 
three  steps  of  white  would  yield:  twelve  hues  plus  thirty-six  tints 
or  forty-eight  colors.     Our  intensity  control  would  at  every  step 

21 


of  intensity  give  forty-eight  new  tints  or  colors  so  that  with  con- 
trol of  saturation  to  be  spoken  of  later,  our  twelve  spectral  mono- 
chromes can  yield  an  infinity  of  shades  or  certainly  as  much  as 
one  could  wish.  It  then  remains  for  our  squares  to  hold  between 
them  twelve  or  less  symbols.  We  say  less  for  such  reasons  as  that 
red  and  green  makes  yellow,  therefore  a  yellow  symbol  could  be 
made  up  by  a  combination  of  the  green  and  red  symbols.  We 
know  that  the  eye  irrespective  of  intensity  and  saturation  can  per- 
ceive twenty-two  hues  but  this  is  the  laboratory  research  extreme, 
moreover,  combination  of  the  same  six  symbols  will  yield  these 
also. 

Colors  complementary  to  each  do  not  make  a  new  color. 
Not  only  this  but  the  spectral  color  available  in  artificial  illumina- 
tion is  not  unlimited.  The  tungsten  nitrogen-filled  lamp  has,  com- 
paratively speaking,  much  red  and  very  little  violet.  The  latios 
are  as  follows:  751  of  red  to  233  of  yellow,  103  of  green,  68  of 
blue  and  39  of  violet  or  circa:  one  of  violet  to  two  of  blue  to  three 
of  green,  to  seven  of  yellow,  to  21  of  red.  The  violet  of  even  a 
very  strong  light  is  only  just  perceptible.  A  variety  of  propor- 
tioned symbols  for  violet,  for  example,  need  give  but  little  trouble. 

Let  us  now  go  back  to  our  squares  and  conceive  of  them  as 
divided,  if  necessary,  subdivided,  each  division  colored  to  denote 
a  hue.  Three  of  the  squares  could  give  all  manner  of  four  com- 
binations to  the  three  colors  and  twelve  squares  not  to  mention 
the  forked  lines  would  thus  certainly  give  the  necessary  symbol 
space  for  getting  at  the  twenty-two  hues  which  the  eye  can  recog- 
nize irrespective  of  brightness  and  saturation  change. 

It  is  also  to  be  remembered  that  it  is  not  a  question  of  paint- 
ing forms,  but  of  tinting  brightnesses. 

Since  color  printing  is  expensive  let  us  use  arbitrary  symbols 
in  black  and  white  as  a  possible  substHute  in  place  of  actual  color. 
Let  us  not  multiply  symbols  but  take  those  already  used  by  her- 
aldry. My  choice  would  be  to  keep  the  graceful  names — or, 
argent,  azure,  gules,  purple,  sable,  vert.  We  can  keep  also  the 
charming  names  "sanguine"  and  "tenne"  for  blood-red  and  orange 
but  must  give  them  the  symbols  combined  which  result  in  the 
colors,  as  vertical  stripes  with  dots  is  red  and  yellow  for  orange. 
Since  there  must  also  be  a  unity  in  the  repetition  of  tinted  light- 
nesses and  tinted  darknesses  as  the  same  phrases  are  repeated  in 
a  composition  so  we  can  also  use  the  heraldic   phraseology,  "of 

22 


the  field,"  "of  the  first,"  "of  the  second"  for  repetitions  of  the 
same  effects. 

Let  a  square  with  dots  inclosed,  say,  stand  for  "or"  or  yellow; 
white  square,  argent  or  white;  square  filled  with  horizontal  lines, 
azure  or  blue;  square  with  vertical  lines,  "gules"  or  red;  square 
with  slanting  lines  from  right  to  left,  "purpure"  or  purple;  square 
squared,  sable  or  black;  square  with  slanting  lines  from  left  to 
right,  vert  or  green. 

When  then,  a  numeral  holds  a  horizontal  lined  square,  the 
long  distance  control  of  the  filter  in  front  of  the  light  moves  this 
filter  to  the  point  where  it  filters  out  the  blue  rays,  the  whole 
numeral  acting  through  the  resistance  slide  governing  simultan- 
eously the  depth  or  shade  of  blue,  and  similarly  so  on  for  all  colors 
and  all  shades.     For  example: 

The  threshold  value  of  brightness  sensibility  for  blue  is 
0.000012  millilamberts.  The  threshold  value  of  brightness  sensi- 
bility for  green  is  0.000017  millilamberts.  The  threshold  value  of 
brightness  sensibility  for  red  is  0.00056  millilamberts.  In  our 
terminology  when  the  above  results  are  wanted,  the  first  quantity 
or  blue  threshold  value  would  be  denoted  by  a  square  marked  with 
a  blue  symbol,  the  second  by  a  square  marked  with  a  green  sym- 
bol, and  for  the  third  by  a  square  marked  with  a  red  symbol.  In 
all  these  the  numeral  plays  through  the  resistance  slide  while  the 
symbols  held  within  the  square  or  squares  plays  on  the  filter  control. 

Let  us  say  now  the  colors  are  to  be  proportioned  together 
and  that  a  blue-green  light  is  wanted  of  an  .000017  millilambert 
intensity;  then  one  square  in  blue  the  following  in  green  would 
denote  it.  Change  the  places  of  these  marked  squares  and  the 
accent  would  come  on  the  green  and  green-blue  would  be  the  result. 

It  is  right  here  that  stress  must  be  laid  on  the  fact  that  color 
sensations  do  not  reach  their  full  value  immediately  on  application 
of  the  stimulus  nor  do  they  decay  to  zero  immediately  upon  the 
cessation  of  the  stimulus.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  a  rotating  disc 
made  up  of  several  colors  will  give  the  impression  of  one  color. 
It  is  only  for  this  reason  that  the  notes  of  music  meant  to  act  on 
the  dot  of  time  can  never  suffice  as  marks  for  a  stimulus  of  leisure 
growth.     Our  forked  lines  give  am.pleness  of  time  for  color  change. 

Practice  only  with  a  given  light  system  will  show  where  extra 
symbols  may  have  their  own  uses. 

23 


Saturation: — 

From  our  experience  the  least  trouble  need  be  experienced 
from  the  need  for  lessening  the  saturation,  made  by  the  addition 
of  white.  White  will  turn  red  into  pink,  dark  blue  into  paler 
blue,  etc. 

It  will  be  difficult  to  isola:te  absolutely  a  spectral  monochrome 
so  as  to  be  devoid  of  white.  The  filter  cannot  be  prevented  from 
fading. 

It  will  be  difficult  to  keep  all  vagrant  light  from  filtering  into 
the  auditorium  by  some  means  or  other. 

One  light  shining  through  the  transom  of  a  butler's  pantry 
into  the  Rose  Room  of  the  Bellevue-Stratford  Hotel  turned  some 
rehearsals  in  colored  lighting  into  a  nightmare  for  the  anxious 
operators — that  one  light  did  its  effect  on  saturation  so  well. 
A  similar  rehearsal  in  the  hall  of  the  Engineers'  Club  at  Philadel- 
phia was  made  similarly  disappointing,  though  the  window  panes 
had  been  covered  with  opaque  paper,  by  an  arc  light  a  square 
away  in  the  street  below  making  itself  felt  through  this  apparently 
only  partly  opaque  paper. 

We  know  that  red  will  show  about  ninety  shades  of  saturation 
This  represents  results  in  accurate  and  minute  scientific  research 
on  a  restricted  circular  surface  of  red  paper.  A  difference  in  color 
was  noted  every  4  degrees  of  the  360  degrees  or  about  one  per  cent. 

We  know  that  whole  color  systems  of  notation  have  taken 
account  of  but  ten  shades  and  that  increase  of  brightness  will 
bring  a  lessening  of  saturation  automatically  with  it. 

If,  too,  a  filter  be  dyed  graduated  to  let  more  white  light 
through  toward  one  end  than  the  other,  this  in  itself  will  give 
control  of  saturation. 

In  addition  to  all  these  ways  by  which  saturation  will  be 
lessened  little  pilot  lights  of  white  added  to  the  powerful  lights 
can  furnish  measured  units  of  white  to  pale  the  color  as  needed. 

On  the  paper  these  can  be  represented  by  pi,  p2,  p3,  or  by  a 
symbol  for  a  white  light.  In  any  case  these  marks  can  furnish 
the  measures.  One  working  table  of  color  gives  two  steps  only 
for  unsaturated  color. 

24 


Ensemble  in  light  play: — 

It  goes  without  saying  that  where  one  or  more  Hght  effects 
are  to  be  used  as  a  foil  one  to  the  other  that  two  or  more  complete 
symbols  will  be  placed  one  over  the  other  as  the  scores  of  music 
for  different  instruments  playing  simultaneously  are  tiered. 

Time: — 

Since  the  capacity  for  marking  time  is  inherent  to  the  body 
the  occasional  metronome  marks  and  the  vertical  bar  lines  of 
music  will  answer  all  the  time  requirements  of  the  art  of  light 
succession  also 

I  have  the  feeling  that  an  art  made  up  of  light  alone  might 
utilize  larger  spaces  of  bme  as  a  big  day,  a  big  night  envelops 
much.  But  the  heart  is  beating  within,  no  matter  how  slowly  the 
Hght  panorama  shifts  and  the  heart  gaits  the  attention.  Longer, 
slower  changes  in  light  time  can  take  place  with  music  beating 
quickly  within,  so  feeding  away  the  impatience,  but  even  minute 
lengths  of  sixty  seconds  are  too  long  for  the  holding  of  attention 
except  for  an  East  Indian  philosopher  and  he,  from  all  accounts 
goes  into  fits  over  it.  "Rest"  marks  used  in  music  for  absence  of 
sound  would  here  denote  absence  of  light  or  blackness.  "No  Erg" 
would  also  mean  the  nothing  of  light. 

Space  lit: — 

The  amount  of  space  lit  must  be  made  a  "heading"  direc- 
tion. More  lights  for  greater  space  and  many  times  increased 
where  play  of  color  is  wanted. 

It  is  quite  within  the  realm  of  conception  that  patches  of 
variously  colored  light  will  be  wanted,  as  let  us  say,  purple  over 
the  cellos  while  blue  plays  over  the  violins.  In  this  case  the  written 
word  must  give  this  direction.  A  colored  light  falling  on  a  back- 
ground of  a  different  and  supporting  light  suffusion  would  also 
need  a  special  noting  and  will  refer,  naturally,  to  a  resistance  slide 
operating  independently. 

The  beginning,  the  cessation  of  a  given  color  must,  of  course, 
always  be  carried  on  the  mtensity  mark. 

Such  directions  as  "gently,  "violently,  must,  as  in  music, 
be  given  in  words. 

25 


In  all  this  it  is  to  be  understood  that  every  nomenclature 
underlying  an  art  is  but  a  skeleton  around  which  the  artist  must 
build  his  creation.  It  is  so  with  the  notes  of  music.  It  is  so  with 
the  dramatic  line.  Not  the  finest  of  computed  brightnesses  will 
be  all  sufficient  for  the  artist.  Only  his  instinct,  his  practice,  his 
taste  will  bring  him  where  the  light  of  his  soul  leads. 

Another  person  may  give  a  different  light  play  to  the  same 
works,  or  the  same  author  might  under  another  mood  give  still 
another  light  accompaniment  or  vary  one  previously  given.  This 
elasticity  of  interpretation  through  light  proves  the  art. 


Mary  Hallock-Greenewalt. 


Tout  Pres 

Wildwood  Crest,  New  Jersey, 

September  7,  1918. 


26 


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